There had been a Polish presence at seven FIFA World Cups before the country finally qualified for a first UEFA European Championship final tournament, in 2008. As co-hosts for the 2012 event a second appearance quickly followed but, as on their debut in Austria, they failed to win a game and did not progress beyond the group stage. It was a different story in the 1970s and 1980s when, with world-class forwards Grzegorz Lato and Zbigniew Boniek to the fore, Poland reached four successive World Cups, collecting the bronze medals in West Germany in 1974 and again in Spain eight years later.

Poland qualified for a UEFA European Championship at the 13th time of asking after topping their 2008 qualifying group featuring Portugal, Serbia and Belgium. Leo Beenhakker's side made a limited impression in Austria and Switzerland, managing a goal – from Roger Guerreiro – and a point as they finished bottom of their section.

Poland doubled both tallies as co-hosts at UEFA EURO 2012 but, once again, ended propping up the group. Before 2008 the closest the Biało-czerwoni had previously come to qualifying was in 1976 and 1980. In 1976 they missed out on goal difference to a Netherlands side that barred their path again four years later when they recovered from 2-0 down to beat East Germany and pip Poland by a point.

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